Bow



J. JENNISON AND G. H. HIGGINS.

' aow.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I6 1918.

1,361,157. Patented Dec. 7,1920

fl rroR/vc vs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE JENNISON AND GEORGE H. HIGGINS, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK.

BOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1920.

Application filed. December 16, 1918. Serial No. 266,927.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Jnssn J ENNISON and GEORGE H. HIGGINS, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Cortland, in the county of Cortland, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bows, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bows, and pertains specifically to the sheet metal bow for assemblage with bow sockets of tops for vehicles such as automobiles and the like.

An object of the invention is to produce a relatively strong, substantially permanent bow to replace the present commercial wood bow, and that may be made of predetermined uniform length and somewhat tapered at its opposite ends, permitting assemblage with the usual bow sockets by driving fit. The use of bow-setting machines is thus avoided in assembling.

Further, the bow may be provided with an enamel finish, thus permitting the omission of the usual fabric covering required with wooden bows.

Further, in the use of wooden bows ordinarily steamed and bent to required shape variations in temperature and humidity so deform the bows that the uniform character and shape of the bows is lost and rebending is necessary in assembling the bows and sockets, whereas the shape of the metallic bow of this invention is permanent and uniform.

Further, the sheet metal bow may be made of less weight for the same strength as compared with wooden bows.

A. further object is to produce a bow embodying these features of high efficiency by relatively economic methods of manufacture. Reference is hereby made to our Patents Number 1,251,532, issued January first, 1918, and 1,272,451 issued July 16, 1918.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to the details of form, construction, and method of manufacture, all as will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the bow of this invention, shown as assembled by driving fit with fragmentary portions of the usual bow sockets.

Fig. 2 is a cross section longitudinally of the bow illustrating a method of attachin a windshield clamp to the bow when use as a front bow.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3, Fi 1.

ig. 4 is a cross section similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a slightly modified form of bow.

Fi 5 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the end portions of the-bow as crimped or longitudinally fluted to increase the contractile ability of these portions.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 Fig 6.

be complete bow as shown in Fig. 1 is of substantially .U shape form, the end portions 1 and 2 of which are longitudinally tapered for driving fit with bow sockets -3.. These end portions may, as here shown, be of rigid tubular form or may, as shown in Fig. 6 be longitudinally fluted, or otherwise rendered more or less contractible to produce a more rigid frictionable engagement between the bows and bow sockets. Various forms for these purposes are disclosed in our patents heretofore referred to.

The intermediate portion -4 of the bow between the end portions 1 and 2 is preferably of the cross sectional form shown in, Fig. 3 and comprisesv a tubular portion -5 having a substantially flat front wall 6, and flange portions -7 and 8-, extendinglaterally from the tubular portion -5 and merging into the front wall -6- and constituting a continuation thereof, and formed of two thicknesses of the sheet metal of which the bow is made. This structure may perhaps best be formed from a single solid continuous tube having its ends contracted to form the end portions -1 and 2-. A wooden insert of desired form and size, as the insert -9- is then inserted within the tube and the intermediate portion 4- rolled to the form shown in cross section Fig. 3 to tightly inclose the wooden strip.

As shown, the wooden insert is of considerable less cross sectional area than the cross sectional area of the tube from which the bow is formed. The rolling process, however, forms a second tube -5- of a size and form determined by the insert 9- and produces the flanges 7- and --8-, not only forming a broad surface area upon which the top material rests, but. also "materially strengthening the bow. The tube may be advantageous in connection with bows lying at a substantial angle to the vertical.

In Fig.2 we have shown a methodof securing a windshield clamp to 'the bow, but it will be understood that such I clamp is only used in connection with front bows and does not, therefore, form any ma terial portion of the present invention.

The insert -9 may, as stated, be of various forms, but in :its preferred form it has a substantially fiat front-face and tapers rearwardly and, although we have described this insert as formed of wood and as having a perhaps preferred form, we do not desire to limit ourselves to any particular material or formof the same as various changes may be made by way of substitution of equivalents and modifications in'details of material form and shape without departing from our invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The top covering material may be secured to themetallic bows in any'suitable manner,

as by suitable fasteners, or by tacking and a the like, the thin sheet metal permitting the driving of suitable tacks or nails through the metal into the wood, or where that is impracticable the metalcasing may be punched or perforated to expose the wooden insert. Various changes and modifications maybe made all within the scope of our invention.

What we claim is: V 1. A'sheet metal bow havingendiportions of said end portions to bring parts into contact wlth an lnclosed insert of less cross secand an intermediate portion formed by rolling a tubular integral continuationof said end portions into Contact 'wlth -an inclosed insert of considerably less cross sectional area than the tube, thereby forming a tubular part tightly inclosing an insert, and a flange extending from said tubular part and formed of two contacting thicknesses of the said metal.

2. A sheet metal bow com-prising a tubular'part,-integral 'fiange's extending laterally from thetubul'artpart and consisting of two thicknesses'of'the sheet metal'of which the bow is formed.

3. Asheet'metal bow comprising a tubular part, flanges extending laterally 'from the tubular part and consistingof two thicknesses of the sheet metal of which the bow is formed, and an insert inclosed by andsubstantially filling said tubular part.

al. 'A sheet metal bowcompris'ing a tubular part having a substantially fiat front face, flanges projecting from opposite-sides of said tubular part andc'onsisting of 'two thicknesses of the sheet metal, and "an insert inclosed within and substantially filling the tubular part.

5. A sheet metal bowhavin g tapered end portions and an intermediate portion formed by rolling a tubular integral continuation tional area than the tube, thereby forming I a tubular part tightly inclosing said insert 1 and flanges extending from opposite sides thereby, and formed of two thicknesses of the sheet metal. 7

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this llth day-of December, 1918.

ES EJ I Q GEORGE H. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

A. R. LEARN, E. ALLEY. 

